


Get Me Through The Night

by HouseAu3



Series: Lifeline [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lifeline, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-05-19 13:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5969374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseAu3/pseuds/HouseAu3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry gets stranded in space. Len is his only line of communication.</p><p>Lifeline AU in which they fall for the other through text messages.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Contact

**Author's Note:**

> This work uses a custom skin I made. It's easier to read on a wider screen, so if you're on mobile, I'll recommend you to go into horizontal view.

 

[incoming communication]

[establishing connection]

[receiving message]

Hello?

Is this working?

Len blinks at the screen. He’s just about to tap into the police dispatch system when the screen suddenly flickers to life. A decoy? A test? He waits.

Can anyone read me?

Please?

Len glides his finger over the keyboard.

I read you.

He braces for something to happen, an alarm, a call, anything, but before he can even _start_ to wonder if he’s made a mistake -

Oh fuck thank god I’ve been alone here for hours, you won’t believe the day I’ve had.

Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble.

Wait, you’re a real person, right? Not just some bot trying to spam my only line of communication?

Len snorts. If this is a security system, it sure is an entertaining one. It seems more likely to be a person, though, and quite possibly a young one at that.

Got a name?

I’m just gonna assume you’re a real person.

I’m Barry. I was an astronaut - close enough anyway - onboard the starship Central.

Central - Len knows a thing or two about the ship. There are some pretty valuable prototypes onboard. Almost pull a job, but, call him a romantic, he didn’t want to fuck up the trip. He watched the launch from a rooftop. Lisa laughed at him for being a giant nerd, but he didn’t mind. It looked liberating.

Well, seems like space travel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. He notices the use of “was.”

No longer got a ship?

It… crashed. I’m not entirely sure what happened. There was an alarm. Eddie shoved me into an escape pod and went back to helping all the others - He’s just - he’s just a really great man, you know. He saves people, and I was too busy passing out to do anything.

I need to - I need to find them. Eddie, Rob, Captain Singh, all the others…

Fuck, what if they’re all dead? What if I’m the only one -

Len knows that he could  walk away. This is looking more and more like a problem than a distraction. The kid - he’s more or less sure this is someone much younger than him  - is stranded on a planet in another _system_. If Len becomes his only connection to home -

Len smiles wryly. That line of thought really isn’t helping him cut off the contact.

Chill, kid. Can’t do anything even if that’s the case .

That’s a terrible way to comfort someone, just so you know. I don’t even know why I’m feeling calmer now. Must be the color of your text. Blue is very soothing.

And you’re very weird. Know where you are?

Um, let me check…

Len brings his laptop to the bed and settles down. Might as well get comfortable if he’s going to be doing this all night. He sends off a text to Lisa, telling her that the job tomorrow is off. He can’t do the planning now, and he doesn’t want to let her run this one solo.

It’s about 5 degrees Celsius here now - that’s 41 degrees Fahrenheit, they sorta force us to use the metric system, but it does make better sense, you know? Decimal system is much easier to calculate.

Anyway, judging from the temperature here I think it’s Tau Ceti F - eh, it’s one of the planets orbiting Tau Ceti, which is, you know, a star. Not sure how this will help, but, it’s within the habitable zone, barely. Lucky me, I guess.

It helps because I can tell someone that Central crashed on that planet, kid.

Oh, right, that’s - obvious. I’m not thinking clearly.

Do you have to keep calling me “kid”? I did give you my name. You forgot already?

Are you, like, sixty or something? Is that why you call me “kid”? Because everyone is a kid to you?

I’m not that old, Barry.

And I’m not that young, blue words. I’m 23. What’s your name anyway?

Len pauses.

What can you see around you?

Are you always this evasive, Blue?

You need to find your ship, Red.

Heh, are we hijacking a train or what? You do know Mr. Blue got electrocuted in the end, right? Well, he electrocuted himself, but that’s not the point.

Anyway, my pod landed in some kind of desert. The ground is all cracked white rock. There’s a huge white peak to the northeast, about… 40 kilometers away, maybe? That’s about 25 miles. The peak looks odd. It’s - wobbly, like a mirage or something.

To the  southwest there are two pillars of black smoke, which I assume are where the wreckage of Central are. I’m just gonna walk toward one of them. They’re closer. 20 kilometers, maybe. Shouldn’t take me more than four hours if I hurry.

Left or right?

Whichever is closer. That movie came out before you were born, Barry. You sure you’re 23? It’s 2016.

There’s this thing called the Internet, Ice. You sure you’re not 60?

I’m going for the left one. Wish me luck.

Keep your eyes open, Scarlet.

Hah, talk to you later, Rhett.

[Barry is busy]

Len finds himself smiling. The kid is sharp, and abandoning someone this young in this situation - it just doesn’t sit right with him. It’s probably a bad idea to keep this contact, but, well, no sense in dwelling on that now. Len plugs in the laptop charger. He’ll have to move the communication to something more mobile, like a phone, or a tablet. He can’t carry the laptop around all day.

A favor? he texts Hartley.

Len gets a response after a couple seconds. How much would you owe me?

You still owe me for breaking you out, Hartley.

Tsk, can’t blame me for trying. I’ll be there in ten.

Len sighs. What have I told you about tracking your teammates, especially me?

To not tell you that I’m doing it?

Len shakes his head. Sometimes he feels like he’s a high school headmaster. He swears he gets a bunch of children as a crew, and Mick is no better, only older, bigger, and even more destructive.

A beep. Len checks the screen.

I’m boooooored.

Walking is overrated, especially when walking alone in silence in the White Rock Desert.

It’s only been 3 minutes and 40 seconds, kid.

You counted? And you called me weird.

Excellent internal clock. Can’t help it.

Sure you can’t.

Just, talk to me? Well, type? Or I’ll ramble and you can read?

My brain starts coming up with strange things when I’m bored, and I’m liable to have a panic attack if I don’t think about something other than… well, you-know-what.

Tell me about yourself, then. Break the ice.

That’s a terrible pick-up line.

You’re in need of a pickup, but not by me.

That’s a terrible pun. I like you already.

Terrible choice, I must say.

Nonsense. I’m sure you’re as charming in person as your keystrokes. You have very steady hands. And you never backtrack. I always like people who are decisive.Even better when they’re calm.

Len stills. How does -

Sorry, that was weird, wasn’t it? I just have to focus on something, so I focus on you, and I notice things.

I can’t not notice. It’s like your internal clock.

Please don’t go silent on me.

Len smiles a little. Sharp indeed.

Of course not.

Oh thank god.

You can’t see me, but I just let out a very deep sigh of relief, like, half of my lung capacity deep. I can blow out a whole cake of candles with a sigh like that.

You trying to tell me something?

What? What’re you -

OH MY GOD YOU DIRTY OLD MAN - hey, I didn’t know THIS thing use all caps when I’m LOUD, cool - YOU AND YOUR BRAIN GET OUT OF THE GUTTER THAT’S TERRIBLE.

And you don’t really blow when you’re giving a blowjob, okay? Why is it even called a blowjob? It should be called a suckjob. There’s zero blowing involved in FELLATIO.

Wait, are you a guy? Full disclosure: I’m a guy.

Len chuckles. He doesn’t know what Barry looks or sounds like, but honest and easily flustered seems like a good bet.

Same. I can look it up for you.

Oh, god, you’re gonna google “Why is blowjob called a blowjob?”

No, Barry, you search with keywords, not with a complete sentence.

Shut your smug face. I know how to google. I use OPERATIONS.

You put that on your resume?

Ha. You’re a real comedian. Am I gonna become part of your standup routine? Barry the Astronaut stranded on a desert planet?

Hm, that’s not a bad idea.

Make sure to tell them I did more than passing out because I hit my head in the pod. And it’s my very first trip, and I’m only a student, not a _real_ astronaut, so I can’t be held accountable for being a little lost.

I was on board to help with the experiment. I’m not supposed to be left on my own.

Shit, he really is a baby. Len was already plenty old when he was 23, but crashing down on an unknown planet, losing everyone you’ve ever depended on, _without_ the proper training - that really isn’t something he’d want to deal with.

You’re doing well, Barry.

I’m just walking, Blue. Everyone can walk.

Well, not everyone. I didn’t mean to be offensive. But you get the idea.

A string of succinct knocks on the door let Len know that  one of his crewmembers have arrived. He waits for Hartley to let himself in. Their hacker’s footsteps are too heavy for his weight; it can’t be anything but deliberate. Hartley has a habit of announcing his presence when he’s not out on a job.

“Boss?”

Len brings the laptop out and sets it on the dining table. “I’m receiving a signal from outer space. Can you track it down and move the connection onto a phone?”

Hartley’s eyebrows jump up. “Outer space?”

Len stares at him and doesn’t reply.

“All right, all right. I get it. Work first, questions later.” Hartley sits down at the table and pulls the laptop closer to himself. “Shouldn’t be too hard. Whoever this is is not trying to hide at all.”

“Pretty sure he’d rather have the whole world knowing where he is.” Len leans down to look over Hartley’s shoulders. The screen is now split into two parts, one is Barry’s and his conversation, the other one is Hartley running some kind of tracking program.

Hey, you still there? Are you asleep?

Shit, what time is it over there? Have I been keeping you awake?

| 

struct group_info init_groups = { .usage = ATOMIC_INIT(2) };

struct group_info *groups_alloc(int gidsetsize){

  


   struct group_info *group_info;

  


   int nblocks;

  


   int i;

  


   nblocks = (gidsetsize + NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK - 1) / NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK;

  


   /* Make sure we always allocate at least one indirect block pointer */  
  
---|---  
  
Len looks over to Hartley and gets a nod in return. Len reaches over to send out a response.

Just trying to move this to a phone.

It’s 11:32 p.m. It takes more than this to keep me awake.

Wait, wait, wait. What are you doing?

And do you have to turn everything into a pun or an innuendo?

Don’t worry, you won’t notice a thing.

I didn’t say anything. You’re the one who goes there, Scarlet.

Sir, you are no gentleman.

You are no lady.

| 

   nblocks = (gidsetsize + NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK - 1) / NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK;

  


   /* Make sure we always allocate at least one indirect block pointer */

  


   nblocks = nblocks ? : 1;

  


   group_info = kmalloc(sizeof(*group_info) + nblocks*sizeof(gid_t *), GFP_USER);

  


   if (!group_info)

  


       return NULL;

  


   group_info->ngroups = gidsetsize;

  


   group_info->nblocks = nblocks;

  


   atomic_set(&group_info->usage, 1);

  
  
  


   if (gidsetsize <= NGROUPS_SMALL)

  


       group_info->blocks[0] = group_info->small_block;

  


   else {

  


       for (i = 0; i < nblocks; i++) {

  


           gid_t *b;

  


           b = (void *)__get_free_page(GFP_USER);

  


           if (!b)

   nblocks = (gidsetsize + NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK - 1) / NGROUPS_PER_BLOCK;  
  
---|---  
  
“Are you… flirting with someone from outer space?” Hartley pauses. “Or something?”

Len rolls his eyes. “He’s human, Hartley. ” He juts his chin at the screen. “Keep working.”

 

I must be dreaming. I’m flirting with someone I’ve never met. In space.

I don’t even flirt on Earth.

Must be something in the air.

| 

[incoming communication]

[establishing connection]

[receiving message]  
  
---|---  
  
Hartley pulls a phone out of his bag. “Here. The speech recognition function has been reprogrammed by me, so you don’t have to type. It’s accurate.”

Len takes the phone. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Hartley turns his head back. “So, outer space?”

“Tau Ceti.”

Hartley whistles. “You sure know how to pick them, boss. This gives a whole new meaning to long-distance relationship.”

Len glares at him, which only earns him a grin. Hartley has definitely been spending too much time with Lisa.

“Get out of here before I kick you out,” Len says. The phone in his hand vibrates.

That’s not comforting at all.

Hartley’s grin widens. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Out, Rathaway.”

Wasn’t meant to be.

Hartley leaves with a chuckle.

Did you change to a phone already?

Hm, what gives it away?

You type differently… wait, now you’re using speech recognition software?

Len smiles.

I am.

Are you an engineer or something? Or a hacker? I swear I won’t judge.

A friend helped.

So you do have a social life. What are you doing here talking to ME?

I mean, you’re kind of keeping me from going insane, but don’t stay up or in on my account, okay? Just, live your life as you always do. You’ve been a great help already.

A genuinely good person. Len scoffs. Of all the people who could have been marooned in space. Of all the people Barry could have gotten in contact with.

You’re better company than my usuals.

You must have a very sad social life. That’s all right. My social life is very sad, too.

I find that hard to believe, Barry. And ‘bitter’ is a better description than ‘sad’.

Flatterer. I bet you say that to everyone you meet.

Only those who appreciate my sense of humor.

Heh, as cheesy as a plate of nachos, but it has its charm.

Seriously though, thank you for doing this. Just tell me when you want me to stop messaging you.

You can stand to be a little more selfish.

I can say the same to you.

Len huffs.

Selflessness has never been a problem for me.

Oh, so you’re doing all this for some ulterior reasons?

None of which are the goodness of my heart.

You’re so full of shit, Blue.

That I am.

Sigh. You can’t hear it, so I’m just gonna tell you I’m sighing.

You know what, I’m just gonna stop talking to you until I get to Central so you’ll get some rest instead of staying here keeping me company.

Barry -

I’m at least two hours away from the wreckage. Later, you big softie.

[Barry is busy]

Len shakes his head. Stubborn idiot.

He takes a quick shower and lies down on the bed with the phone Hartley gave him next to the pillow. One hour and fifty minutes. He doubts Barry will contact him after exactly two hours have passed, but he’s used to stealing sleeps and waking up whenever he needs to.

His own phone vibrates once on the nightstand.

I heard that you ditched me for some hot date from outer space. Tell him I say hi, and that he’ll have to bring me a souvenir if he wants to get on my good side.

Len’s going to kill Hartley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't have time for this, but I finished Lifeline and Lifeline: Silent Night, and this idea just won't leave me alone. Then I discover Work Skin. Then I start reading up on CSS. Then I made a Work Skin. Then I just have to write this now, don't I?  
> Anyway, this is sort of an experimental work. Barry and Len are both a bit different from how I normally write them. And I just realized I've never written Hartley. I'm still trying to find his voice.  
> God I hope I have more time to write.  
> P.S. If anyone knows how to change the background color of the whole damn chapter please let me know.


	2. First Night

Barry is really, really tired of walking.

At least now he’s finally arrived at the wreckage. It looks like this part is what’s left of the flight deck. Carefully, he steps around the broken parts. This whole place is a death trap waiting for him to take one wrong step or turn the wrong way. He ducks under an extruding piece of sharp metal. It could probably cut his head off if he’s not careful.

He finds the control panel, or what’s left of it. He tries to remember what Eddie’s told him. System diagnosis is - here. No reaction. He bends down to check the wiring. Seems like most of it is more or less intact, just lacks a working power source. Maybe he’ll find something at the other crash site.

A groan. Barry startles and makes his way to where the sound came from. It’s coming from near the slanted wall of glass - fuck, fuck, it’s Captain Singh. Barry cuts his arm in his haste to get to the captain, but he doesn’t care about that now. Captain’s still alive.

“Shit.”

There’s a large piece of metal that has pierced through his left side. Barry drops to his knees. The captain blinks blearily at him, his breathing erratic and shallow. He has to find something, a medkit, anything. He goes back the way he came, trying to hurry without hurting himself further. He glances at the communicator on his wrist. He really doesn’t want to bother the man who’s kind enough to help him, but -

He opens the line.

[outgoing communication]

[establishing connection]

[receiving message]

Barry?

Jesus, have you slept at all?

I have, actually. I’m a light sleeper. Something happened?

I - Captain Singh is still alive, but he’s badly hurt. I’m trying to find something that can help him. There must be a medkit, or -

The medbay is at the other part of the wreckage. He rushes to the other crash site as fast as he can. There are several cabinets in the medbay. He rummages through one of them. The medkit was here, but now - who took it? Did someone else manages to survive as well? He wants to look for other survivors, but he has to get back to the Captain first. He doesn’t have much time. There used to be some medical stasis pods here. Maybe they are still working…

There’s a portable generator under a collapsed bed. He pushes the bed over. This will be useful. And there they are, the stasis pods. There are two, one of which is badly damaged, but the other one looks fine. Barry hooks it up to the generator, and - bingo. All green lights.

YES!

Barry fistpumps the air. His mysterious conversation partner would laugh at him if he could see him, but finally, some hope.

Good news, I presume.

Someone seems to have taken the medkits, but I found a portable generator and a working stasis pod. It’s going to be a lot of work dragging them to the deck, but I think it’s safer this way… what do you think?

How’s your Captain hurt?

A piece of metal through his side. I think his lungs might be punctured. His breathing sounds off.

I agree, it’s too risky to move him.

Barry can’t hear the man speaking, but from the way the text pops up Barry can deduce many things. The pace of his speech, for example, is always steady, just like the way he types. Never quick to the point of rambling like Barry’s is. Never a hint of stuttering. Never a pause unless it’s for emphasis. And he’s efficient in his use of words, always direct and to the point, unless he’s teasing. He’s also, like Barry pointed out, decisive, quick to respond even when Barry asks him a question like this. It makes Barry feel a little safer, and a little less anxious. He feels like he can trust Blue’s - he really needs to get a name out of him - judgement.

I regret all the exercise I never do.

Not the sporty type?

No, I’m the kind that gets beat up by the sporty type. You?

Let’s say I’m not averse to physical activities.

That’s vague. I’m not averse to every physical activity.

I should hope so.

Barry almost stumbles. He can feel his face heat up. How does the man manage to make everything sound suggestive when they can’t even hear each other’s voices?

I’m blaming you if I fall on the pod and knock myself out.

Hm, we wouldn’t want that, would we?

[Blue is lying on his king-size bed alone]

Barry chokes.

WHAT? How do you even change the system prompt like that?

A little tweaking done by that friend of mine.

You are impossible.

Barry drags the pod and the generator as close to the captain as he can. Now comes the hard part. There are too many obstacles on the ground, and that sharp piece of metal is too low for him to just fit the pod under even if he could lift it. He has to clear a path.

Hey, I’m gonna have to concentrate here. Have to move the debris out of my way. Lots of sharp edges.

I understand. Careful.

I will.

[busy]

He finds a few broken poles, lines them up, and ties them together with loose knots. This should make moving the bigger pieces easier. He lays his handmade conveyor rollers near a big chunk of metal, topples the metal down as gently as he can, and pushes the piece along the rollers. It works well enough.

He clears out all the bigger pieces, except for the sharp one extruding from the ground. Should he risk it? Barry checks the cut on his arm. He’s been exposed to the air here for a while. Nothing bad has happened. And his suit shows that the composition of the air is remarkably similar to that of Earth. It should be safe for him to breathe. He takes the helmet and the upper part of his IEVA suit off and uses the suit to topple the metal piece down the other way.

Almost done. He kicks the smaller debris out of the way and drags the pod and the generator to the captain. Captain Singh’s breathing is a little too harsh, but that means he’s still alive. Cautiously, Barry lifts him into the pod. The pod lights up without a hitch.

Barry sags in relief. He really, really wants to just lie down and sleep, but he has to check the other wreckage more thoroughly. There’s no other stasis pod for the next person he finds, but he’ll figure something out. Now he just has to keep moving.

[outgoing communication]

[establishing connection]

[sending message]

Hey, the captain’s safe in the stasis pod. I’m gonna go check out the other wreckage.

You’ve been walking for almost five hours, Barry, and dragging around things as heavy as yourself. You deserve a rest.

I’ll rest once I find all of my crew. I - I know it’s too much to hope that they are all alive, but I have to make sure, you know?

They care about you as much as you do about them?

They’d have done the same for me.

All right, but know your limit. You’re no use to anyone if you push yourself too hard.

Aye aye, sir.

[Blue is rolling his eyes]

Barry is grinning.

[Blue is rolling his eyes harder]

Barry is grinning his most infuriating grin, not that Barry think it’s infuriating.

Barry should stop talking about himself in third person.

You should stop calling yourself Blue.

I like Blue.

I’m going to come up with weird things to call you if you don’t give me a name. Like, I don’t know, Iceman or Elsa.

Be my guest, Barry Bear.

Barry bursts out laughing. His laughter is startlingly clear in the silence; it almost feels like an intrusion.

HAHAHAHAHEHAHA OH MY GOD

You - you - I can’t even -

Speechless, angel face?

Oh god, stop, you’re killing me.

Why, cupcake, you’re the one who started this.

You, sir, are the single most ridiculous person I’ve ever known.

You say the nicest thing, loverboy.

Tau Ceti is slowly setting. Barry glances at it before ducking in through the medbay. Still no one and no medkit to be found. Past the door, at the end of the hallway, are  the crew quarters. Barry tries to prepare himself for - he doesn’t know what to expect, to be honest. Anyone of them could be dead. Anyone of them could be dying.

Hey, Blue.

Yes, Red?

“I’m scared.”

I’m scared.

And he almost stops, because now, now he can smell blood. The nauseating metallic smell is so strong he can almost taste it. His brain is conjuring up the most horrible images. He forces himself to reach out and open the door.

Nothing can prepare him for what he sees.

“God - ”

God.

“What the fuck did this - ”

What the fuck did this -

Barry retches. There’s nothing in his stomach, but his body’s trying to push out everything, anyway. The burn in his throat makes his eyes water. He squeezes them shut. He hopes against hope that it’s all an illusion, a hallucination caused by the planet’s atmosphere, a projection of some alien technology, but he knows, he knows that when he opens his eyes, the nightmare will still be there.

The communicator beeps insistently. Barry lets out a shuddering breath.

Barry? What happened?

Are you hurt?

Barry, talk to me.

Barry wipes his eyes roughly.

It’s Rob. Half of his torso is… eviscerated. It looks like it was torn open. I’m not sure by what. Eddie and the other crew members - Chyre, Spivot, and Anderson are all missing.

This whole room is a mess. There’s blood everywhere. Looks like there was a fight of some sorts. And at least one shot has been fired. There’s a bullet hole in the ceiling.

Barry swallows down the urges to throw up again.

I have to bury him. I’ll go to the galley and the lab first. See what I can find. Then I’ll come back for him.

I know it’s not practical, but I can’t leave him like this.

You don’t need to justify anything to me, Barry.

Do what you need to do. I’ll be waiting.

He has to try really hard to not break down and cry right then and there.

All the drawers in the galley are open and cleared out, like the aftermath of a violent but thorough burglary. That doesn’t make any sense. Barry knows his fellow crewmembers. They wouldn’t just leave Barry and Singh behind, or leave Rob like that. And if they have to run away for some reason, they would leave something behind on the off chance that Barry had survived. Barry walks to the lab. Everything seems relatively untouched. He pockets a lighter and hangs his goggles over his neck. He remembers he’d stashed some chocolate bars in the top cabinet -

“Eddie.”

Eddie.

Eddie’s still alive.

He’s there?

No, but -

In the cabinet is a backpack bursting with canned food and MREs. . Only Eddie knows where he hides his snacks, having caught him with his steals from the galley once. He zips up the backpack and swings it over his shoulder. What was Eddie running from? Are the others with him?

He left me food.

Good. Now you only have to actually eat it .

I will, promise.

He walks back to the crew quarters. There are five sleeping bags; two are torn out and one is bloodied. He takes the bloodied one and wraps it around Rob, trying hard not to focus on the thick wet blood and the exposed viscera. It takes some effort  for him to drag Rob out of the wreckage. When he finally goes outside it’s starting to get much colder. He’ll have to find a place to spend the night. He remembers the reactor engine at the rear of the ship. It’s bound to be warmer there.

Can you do me a favor while I’m digging?

Of course.

Help me look up something? How much radiation will it take to seriously hurt me overnight?

Stay near the engine.

Barry pauses.

How do you know what I’m asking for?

I think ahead.

Barry can feel a sob building in his throat. He bites it back and keeps digging.

Anything else you’ve been thinking about?

How to motivate a bureaucracy, for one, and how to break into NASA.

Oh, no, what have you been doing?

Don’t worry. No one’s getting hurt, yet.

Barry closes Rob’s eyes with the back of his hand. “I’ll try my best to keep your husband safe,” he whispers. “I hope afterlife is kinder to you. You didn’t deserve this.”

Just take care of yourself, okay? Don’t do anything reckless.

Worry about yourself, Barry. I should be the least of your concerns.

He walks to the other wreckage to check up on Captain Singh. Everything is in working order. He briefly considers camping right there to keep an eye on Captain, but he won’t be much help if he freezes to death. Instead, he pushes the stasis pod closer to the control panel and sets up a proximity alarm with the generator, as that doesn’t use up a lot of power.

Gonna have my dinner now. What time is it for you?

9:47

Don’t you have to work?

I’m my own boss.

Mob boss?

Not a mob.

Barry wraps the two clean sleeping bags around himself and hunkers down near the engine. He grabs a pack of MRE at random - Beef stew, sounds pretty good.

That’s not a no.

It’s not.

Would you have to kill me if you tell me what you do for a living?

Depends.

The stew looks worse than it sounds, but tastes better than it looks. All in all it’s not a bad meal, but the portion is a bit small. He doesn’t hesitate for too long before he opens another pack. He has enough food for one person to last for more than a week. The portable generator will last about five days. Ideally, the rescue team will arrive before that, preferably in a day or two.

I can’t imagine you being anything but a good man.

That’s because you don’t know me very well, Barry.

I think I’m getting to know the side of you few people know very well.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, kid.

Yeah, well, I’m dead tired, so I do hope I’ll get a good night sleep without waking up screaming.

An uncharacteristic pause.

How about I tell you my plan for tomorrow and you let it put you to sleep?

Barry doesn’t fight the tears this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work's been shitty, so I've been writing this to avoid working, which isn't exactly a good idea.  
> I have some trouble getting the tone of this chapter right. On one hand, well, _that_ happened; on the other hand, Len is being his ridiculous self. Not sure how well it meshes together.  
>  And, uh, this story won't be kind to everyone in space, so, sorry?


	3. One Step Forward

[Goodnight, Scarlet]

Len lets out a sigh. Being stranded in space is bad enough. Being stranded in space with someone or something that is tearing people up - Barry needs a rescue team, and he needs it  _ now _ . Len has sent a message to NASA about Central’s situation with everything he knows, but so far he hasn’t heard anything about something being done. Maybe it’s because the rescue mission is on a need-to-know basis. Maybe his informant doesn’t have enough clearance. He sure hopes, for their sake, that they are taking actions.

“Lenny, are you even listening to me?”

Len frowns at his coffee. “You’re not running that job without me.”

Lisa pouts. Len developed a resistance to that particular look a long time ago. “But you won’t be able to run it until your scientist is safe.”

Or until Barry dies. She doesn’t say out loud, but Len hears the warning behind her words anyway. Len knows it’s ridiculous how quickly he’s grown protective of a - not even a voice - of a signal. A signal from someone smart, funny, and kind, but a signal nonetheless.

“Whatever the outcome, it won’t be long.”

Barry is in no danger of starving at the moment, thanks to  _ Eddie the-great-guy _ , but that won’t last forever. He doubts that Barry will ever resort to cannibalism, so that’s out. And so far, the planet seems pretty barren. There’s no sustainable food source.

Lisa’s eyebrows jump up. “Oh, Lenny. How?”

Len would pretend he doesn’t know what she’s talking about if she didn’t know him so well. Their ability to read each other has saved them both many times, but it can be a little bit inconvenient sometimes.

“He’s just a kid. Too naive for his own good.”

She hums. “And he doesn’t know about you.”

Len huffs out a laugh. “And he doesn’t know about me.”

The thing is, Barry doesn’t not know him. He doesn’t know anything  _ about _ Len, not his name, not his job, not about his past, but some parts of him have been seen. There’s no need to hide, no weakness to expose, so he is as honest with Barry as he’s ever been with anyone, and Barry’s been observant enough to pick up on the clues.

“Well,” Lisa says. “There’s no reason not to familiarize yourself with the interior of NASA. You have always wanted to be an astronaut.”

Len cocks his head. “Did I?”

“Don’t deny it, Lenny. You’ve made time to watch every launch you could. Plus, you did promise me a star.”

Lisa was seven and hurting. Len promised her anything and everything until she laughed and called him a sap. Once Len was old enough and knew enough, he gave her everything he'd promised and taught her how to get what she wants on her own.

Len pulls his lips into a smirk. "Perhaps it's time to take advantage of our...expertise."

Lisa grins. “I’ll make the call.”

*

It’s a simple job: Create a backdoor into NASA’s server so that Hartley can access the network anytime he wants to. If Len happens to come across information about Barry’s situation - well, that’s nobody’s business but Len’s. And if he plans to use the backdoor as leverage should the need arise, his crew won’t care as long as they get something out of it.

“You’re not fooling anyone, Snart.” Hartley fiddles with the earpiece. He has done away with the earwig Len used in the past and made a clip-on earring with the same, if not better, range and clarity. “This is about your astronaut.”

Len hums. “You bitched for weeks about NASA patching up their security vulnerabilities. Figured you of all people would want a way in.”

“I didn’t say I don’t. I’m just saying you have ulterior motives, and I hope he’s as adorable as he seems in text.”

Len puts the earring on. “I hope he’s less of a handful than you are.”

“Ha bloody ha. You’re not my father, Snart.”

Lisa saunters into the room, shedding her clothes along the way. “Thank god he isn’t. Your father is an ass, Hart.”

Len sighs. “We have the changing room for a reason, sis. We have more than one changing room.”

“He’s gay.” She picks up a dress that is lying on the table, seemingly completely unconcerned about being half-naked. “Not even my body can make him straight.”

“You do have a great ass,” Hartley says with a grin. “But your brother’s is better.”

“And yet you’ve never tapped that.”

“Not for lack of trying.”

Len rolls his eyes. He’s glad that his team get along with Lisa, and she could certainly do worse than having Hartley as a friend. Sometimes, though, he can’t help but think that they get on a bit too well for his own peace of mind.

“This will take care of itself?” Len asks, holding up the thumb drive containing Hartley’s program. He knows enough about computers to be able to do some basic hacking, but he’s far from Hartley’s level, and Hartley’s never good at explaining anything in layman’s terms.

“Yes,” Hartley says flippantly. He’s rarely graceful when his competence is questioned. “Leave this to me and worry about getting in. You recruited me for a reason, yeah?”

“No, Lisa recruited you.”

Hartley snorts. “Like she’d do that without your say so.”

“I resent that,” Lisa says without heat. She puts on an earpiece parading as an earcuff, intricate lines framing her ear in gold. “And I recruited you because you were like a stray cat about to claw everyone’s eyes out. It was adorable.”

Hartley smirks. “Always knew you had a crush on me.”

Lisa barks out a laugh. “Don’t flatter yourself, Hart. I’m just partial to small animals that think they can take on predators twice their size.” She adjusts the gun holster on her left thigh before smoothing out her skirt. “All set?”

Len pockets the phone he’s been using to communicate with Barry, ignoring the knowing looks on both Lisa’s and Hartley’s faces. “All set.”

*

Breaking in during the night has its advantages: smaller staff, easier getaway, longer response time. However, it also increases the likelihood of being recognized. The night crew knows each other well; it’s harder to blend in. Considering their objective, the daytime crowd will serve them better.

Lisa chats up a member of the Flight Control team - the Capsule Communicator, he says, responsible for communication with the astronauts in space - and gets herself a tour, while Len crawls through the vent. It’s not the most elegant way to get in, but it does the job. Hartley guides him through the maze to a janitor’s closet, and Len lets himself out. He wonders if this is Hartley’s idea of a prank, or if Lisa put him up to it.

“Now, you’ll have to steal a uniform. A security card, too, with as high a clearance as possible.”

Len doesn’t respond. He can hear footsteps, light and steady, and a man humming to himself. Len checks the blueprint. From the sound he can more or less map out the man’s patrol route, which, if you ask Len, is way too predictable to be called one. He counts. In twenty to twenty-eight seconds, the guard will walk past the door. Sixteen, seventeen. Len readies the stun gun. Twenty-one, twenty-two. The footsteps grow louder and louder. Twenty-five, twenty-six. Len opens the door and stuns the guard. The guard drops like a stone. Len drags him in and checks his pocket.

“Got the card. Scanning. Clearance?”

“Checking,” Hartley says. Len can hear the faint sound of typing in the background. He quickly puts on the guard’s shirt, hat, and gun holster. “Low level only. You need another one to get to the floor with the server room.”

"Link me to Glider," Len says in a low voice. Lisa should be at the flight control center, which is one floor above him. The server room is one floor beneath him. Hartley's program should be able to breach the security system in five minutes. He walks to the stairway. "Got something good out of him?"

'I want to thank you again for letting me in,' Lisa's voice comes through, sweet and filled with awe. 'This is a dream come true. I feel like I can do anything from now on.'

Len walks up.

'Oh god, I'm so sorry. Is there a bathroom around? I'll clean it up for you.'

Len walks into the hallway. He sees Lisa and a man standing right outside the restroom. Lisa has her back to him, but Len would recognize his sister anywhere. The man with her has a hand on the small of her back, a coffee-stained jacket draping over his other arm. Len suppresses a snort. Classic.

"Five minutes." Lisa takes the jacket and turns around. She bumps into Len and slips him the card. Len puts the guard's card into the jacket's pocket. "Sorry." She looks back at her companion and shoots him an embarrassed smile. "I'm not normally this clumsy."

"Oh, I don't mind."

The man's lewd tone makes Len want to break something. He schools his expression into one of indifference and walks away. His phone vibrates once in his pocket. He forces himself to wait until he’s in the stairway to check it.

[incoming communication]

[establishing connection]

[receiving message]

Blue?

Can’t talk now.

Of course. I’m sorry. I’ll just -

For now, Barry. Are you safe?

Yeah, yeah. As safe as I can be. Don’t worry.

Five minutes and twenty seconds. Then we talk.

Do you seriously time everything to the second? It’s nothing, Blue, really.

Five minutes and ten seconds.

Len finally reaches the level where the server room is and swipes the security door open. He looks around the corner. There is a guard standing outside the server room. Len walks out of the shadow, drops to his knees, and gasps, clutching at his chest.

“Jesus, are you alright?” The guard crouches down, his eyebrows furrowed. Len smiles and zaps him.

The card Lisa slipped him also gets him into the server room. He dumps the unconscious guard behind a shelf and plugs Hartley’s usb stick into the mainframe.

“Keep me updated,” Len says, counting seconds in his head.

 

* * *

_10%_

 

‘So, you and your little astronaut.’

“Not now, Piper.”

 

* * *

_25%_

 

‘Some interesting information. Patching her in.’

Lisa’s voice crackles to life in his ear. ‘There’s a crash and nobody’s going to run a rescue mission?’

‘There will be a rescue mission; they are just trying to find the most suitable - ’

‘They are talking  _ budget _ \- ’

‘There are countries who have ships closer to the star system.’

Len deliberately relaxes his hands.

 

* * *

_50%_

 

‘Halfway through. Estimated time left: two minutes.’

Len hums. He wonders what Barry wanted to talk to him about.

 

* * *

_75%_

 

Two sets of footsteps can be heard coming from the stairway. Len walks out of the server room and waits.

 

* * *

_90%_

 

The security door creaks open. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Len slams open the door to the server room and rush to the unconscious guard’s side.

“Hey, you alright?” Len asks with feigned concern. The owners of the footsteps run up to him. Len twists around. Guards. “Look after him. I’ll go get help.”

 

* * *

_100%_

 

Len slips the usb stick into his pocket and runs for the stairs while the guards remain at their colleague’s side.

“Piper, fire alarm.”

‘Got it.’

Fifteen seconds later the fire alarm starts blazing. Len throws the hat and the shirt into a dumpster and picks up a coat from an office chair. He follows the crowd out of the building. Lisa’s kissing the flight controller goodbye when he walks past her.

“I hate bureaucracy,” Lisa says when she catches up with him.

Len smiles wryly. “No argument here.”

It seems that Central is currently the only ship NASA has in the Tau Ceti system. They have another ship that can get there in one or two days, but then the crew will have to abandon their original mission. NASA is trying to convince other countries to help out. The negotiations, however, are not going well.

“Piper, go through their database. Give me a list of missions near Tau Ceti.”

‘On it. And oh, there’s a great Greek restaurant around where you are. Bring me a moussaka, will you?’

Lisa snorts. “Sure, princess. Want us to bring you a tall pumpkin spice latte too?”

‘You know I only order non-fat frappuccino with extra whipped cream and chocolate sauce.’

Len rolls his eyes at their hijinks. “You drive.” He tosses Lisa the car key and gets into the passenger seat.

‘Going to check in with your astronaut?’

Lisa cackles when Len takes off the earpiece and shoves it into his pocket.

[incoming communication]

[establishing connection]

[receiving message]

Barry.

Oh, hey. You done with whatever you were doing?

Yes.

And what was it? Tell me you didn’t really break into NASA.

I didn’t break into NASA.

OH MY GOD YOU TOTALLY DID, DIDN’T YOU? YOU’RE RIDICULOUS.

Not the point, Scarlet. You wanted to tell me something?

Yeah, um, I’m sure it’s just me being paranoid -

Spit it out, kid.

I always swallow.

Anyway, the proximity alarms I set up around Captain Singh went off about an hour ago. I freaked out and ran to check what it was but there was nothing there. I checked all the sensors and went back to sleep. After about ten minutes the alarms went off again. This happened two more times and my mind is coming up with the most ridiculous theories.

Will your captain be safe in the stasis pod?

Seriously, Scarlet, “I always swallow?”

I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I can’t be held responsible for what I might say.

I was told that the pod was air-tight and bullet-proof and all kinds of things that end with proof, but, well, seeing Rob like that - I can’t help but worry.

You need to sleep, Barry.

I know, but I can’t if I’m not sure he’ll be alright.

How about you stay up for the night, then make camp near your captain in the morning and catch some sleep?

Yeah, yeah. That’ll work. Thanks, Blue. I should have thought of that. Sorry to bother you about this.

Stop apologizing, Scarlet. My life was terribly dull before you.

I don’t think someone who broke into NASA before lunch could have a dull life.

You’d be surprised.

“Aww, you two are adorable,” Lisa coos. She makes a sharp turn that would throw Len off balance had he been someone else. “I bet he’s cute. I’ll be telling my grandchildren the stories of how uncle Len met his boo.”

Len snorts. “Boo?”

“I blame our resident hacker. He’s corrupting my mind.”

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

Who’re you talking to?

My sister.

“Wait,” Lisa says. “He can hear us?”

Len smirks. “Voice recognition. I left it open.”

“You’re ruining my reputation,” Lisa says with a pout. “How am I gonna threaten him to not break your heart now?”

Should I be worried?

Once you get back, perhaps.

I - I’d really like to meet you if I return.

Fuck. Len can feel the heavy thud of his heart.  _ If _ . He can’t forget how slim Barry’s chance of escape is. He’s capable of many things, but space? Space is something out of anyone’s control. He is doing what he can right now, but there’s no telling if it will be enough.

I have to warn you I have expensive taste.

That’s fine. Because I ain’t cheap.

Len chuckles.

Now who’s turning everything into an innuendo?

I’ve learnt from the best.

Lisa makes a gesture with her hand. Len pauses the voice recognition. Even after all these years, it still boggles his mind how well they communicate without words. A lifetime of practice, of going through hostile lands, of sharing war stories.

“Whatever we can, Lenny,” Lisa says. “Mick will make a judgemental grunt. Hart will bitch and mock and tease. I’ll make jokes at your expense. Still, whatever we can.”

Len bumps their shoulders together. “Just leave my non-existent love life alone.”

Lisa grins. “Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update this. School. Life. It was hard to get back to writing when I had been away for too long. Now that my exams are only a week away I for some reason decided to get back to writing. Never have I claimed to be a responsible adult. Stress-writing is absolutely a thing.  
> Anyway I always struggle with the more plotty things. Description and exposition are _hard._  
>  Aaaaand I spent way too much time on the progress bars. I still don't get CSS.


	4. Two Steps Back

Barry is again jerked awake by the blaring proximity alarm. He doesn’t see anything out of place when he opens his eyes, but there’s a trail of green slime on the ground around him. He leans in to get a closer look. It looks fresh. With a broken shard of glass on the ground, he scoops the slime up. He can’t identify what it is, but it definitely looks alien.

The sun has risen to the top of the sky. The planet looks even more empty in daylight. At times like this, the vastness of space scares him more than it fascinates him.

[outgoing communication]

[establishing connection]

[sending message]

This day-length difference is seriously screwing over my biological clock. I slept for, what, five hours?

About four.

Huh. Feels longer. Maybe my body is adapting to the day-night cycle and I don't need as much sleep now...

Anyway, I found some weird green slime on the ground. Not sure what that is. Seems like it was left behind by some kind of animal. So, I may have had had First Contact with aliens when I was asleep. Yay.

Barry looks around. The white peak is the only notable thing he can see. It’ll be a long walk, and he won’t have the engine to keep him warm at night. Staying put sounds tempting, but Eddie and his other crew members are out there somewhere. He has to find them.

I’m gonna start walking toward the white peak. You?

Finding you a rescue team.

Oh, are they - are we abandoned?

No. Just too slow for my liking.

Barry snorts.

You are the kind of person who is never late, aren’t you?

Freakishly on time according to my sister.

Hm. She sounds nice. Scary, but nice.

Thanks. I like you already.

It’s a testament to how much he’s grown after - well, everything - that he didn’t trip or drop something.

Um, hi? Good morning?

HELLO TO YOU TOO!

Stop yelling. It’s unbecoming.

Uh, Blue?

Get back to work, you two.

Sorry about that. They live to make my life difficult.

It’s not fair that only you get to talk to him. We’re all helping to get him back.

WHAT SHE SAID!

Are you both eight?

Barry laughs. There’s a familiarity in their interaction that Barry dearly misses. He wonders what Joe and Iris are doing. A copious amount of tears were shed when Barry was leaving for this mission. They were both excited for him, of course, but Barry can also see fear and concerns in Joe’s eyes. Iris managed to smile, but it was a teary one. It was hard for her to say goodbye to both her best friend and her fiance.

Their fear isn’t unfounded after all. Barry doesn’t know what the odds of he and Eddie both making it back are.

Your social life doesn’t sound bitter to me.

You haven’t heard from the most bitter one yet. And usually these two are more emo high schoolers than third-grade children.

Lies. He is the emo one. We are the fun ones. Our… Mr. Green here did have a goth phase though.

Mr. Green? Seriously? And I don’t have a goth phase.

You programmed this thing. You don’t get to complain. And you did, Green, you really did. With eyeliners and studs and everything.

Watch your tone. I looked great with eyeliners.

Whatever you say.

Barry laughs again, feeling a little lighter but aching at the same time. Every day might be his last, and he might not see his family again. He’s grateful for Blue’s company and he’s quickly grown stupidly attached to the disembodied text on his communicator, but he misses his friends, his sister, and both his dads.

Rob’s body comes into his mind. He wipes roughly at his eyes.

You seem close.

He marches on, keeping his eyes fixed on the white peak. The night here is brutally cold, but he should be able to continue walking for a while even after night falls. It will be too dangerous to fall asleep without shelter.

Can’t help it, really. Fed a stray cat once and he never leaves.

Gold didn’t feed me. She punched me in the face.

To stop you from getting killed, you ungrateful ass. And we bought you food all the time.

Just what kind of dangerous life you lot lead?

The best kind.

Barry still can’t quite figure out what Blue does, but normal people don’t just break into NASA. And since they’re still out and about, it’s safe to assume that they got away with it. It’s obviously not the first time they get into places they shouldn’t be in.

Thanks, by the way, for caring enough to help.

Why, Barry. Are you endorsing our highly illegal activities?

Let’s just say being stranded in space gives me some perspective. And you are doing it for a good reason. I’d like to think my life is a good enough reason anyway.

Of course it is. And it doesn’t hurt to have access to NASA’s database. You find all sorts of interesting things.

For example?

You do realize these are confidential?

I’m walking. I’m bored. Tell me a story.

Tsk, so demanding.

Blue goes on to tell him about the missions he found on NASA’s server. Which star systems they have been to. What they have found. Gold and Green pipe up every once in awhile to add some comments. Barry tries his best to focus on their conversation as he walks.

The white peak still looks so so far away. It makes him wonder if he really is closing the distance.

Wait. They’re growing potatoes on Mars?

Yes. Pretty successfully I might add.

So next step, colonization?

Perhaps. The atmosphere would be a problem, but it’s closer to Earth.

Unlike Tau Ceti. The air here is breathable for us though - Huh.

Barry stares at the damaged spaceship.

What?

There’s a ship here. Seems like it crashed.

Anything to identify the ship?

It looks like one of ours. The model looks familiar…

Barry walks to the other side and stops dead when he sees the marking on the body of the ship. Part of the word has been obscured by burned mark, but he can still make out CENT and L. There’s no doubt in his mind what this ship is.

It’s an older model of Central, but that’s - they said we are NASA’s first landing mission in the Tau Ceti system.

Barry takes a cautious step toward the wreckage.

Don’t go in yet. We’re going through the database.

Barry takes a deep breath.

Got it. Originally the mission is to land on another system near Tau Ceti, but the crew received a distress signal and left for Tau Ceti F to rescue the civilian ship. The reason they crashed is still unknown. The survivors managed to come back to earth two years ago on the civilian ship.

On the civilian ship? So it was intact?

Yes. The file is heavily redacted. I’ll have to run some program…

Done. It’s Gideon, one of Star Labs’ ships. The only survivor on Gideon is Harrison Wells. He was rescued by Central’s crew, but had no memory of his time on the planet. The crew claimed that - the hell?

Green.

The crew claimed that they had to fight… reanimated corpses to rescue Wells.

WHAT?

Are you sure it’s not an April Fool’s joke?

Yes, Lisa. Who the hell went through all the troubles to hide an April Fool’s joke behind so many layers of protection?

It’s in line with what Barry’s seen so far.

Barry blinks. Of all the people to believe in freaking _zombies_ -

Think about it, Barry. Your ship crashed for unknown reasons. One of your crew was killed by unusual force. Your friend Eddie was running from something and he hid food for you. In a place only you know. Like he didn’t want anyone else to get to it.

Are you saying - but that’s just -

We don’t have any proof yet, but it’s still a possibility that all your other crew members have been turned, and Eddie was on the run.

Barry chokes out a hysterical laugh. This is not the sequel to _Alien_ . There are no space monsters trying to eat him. And yet, _and yet_ -

He thinks of Rob’s hollowed torso. He has to swallow down the urge to throw up.

There was a fight in the crew quarters. A bullet was lodged in the ceiling. None of the crew members has tried to help Barry and captain Singh.

Eddie drew them away.

“If this ever gets turned into a movie,” Barry says quietly, “They’ll definitely makes my character straight. Don’t let them do that, Blue. Let me kiss a man in a movie if I can’t do it in real life.”

Of course, Barry. I’ll make sure they let you kiss a man. Or many men.

Women are good too. Just don’t make me straight.

You’ll be kissing everyone, Barry. Live through this and you can kiss anyone you like.

Barry snorts and feels himself relax a little. He’s maybe imagining things, but he feels like Blue’s worried about him, that Blue can actually read his mood through the texts and is going along with his jokes to make him feel better.

Barry scoffs. Now he’s deluding himself.

It’s still only a theory, Barry. I told you because I want you to be ready for anything. I told you because I can’t be there.

...or maybe not.

He feels his heart swell. Blue has typed the last message like this is a secret for him only. Like this is a side of Blue that Blue’s afraid of showing.

My sister is looking at me very suspiciously.

Barry laughs. His chest feels full with warmth.

I’ll hold you to that promise.

He says in response to Blue’s last spoken message.

You can’t fool me. I know my dear brother has told you something privately.

Stop being so nosy, sis. Private means private.

Barry laughs again. It defies logic that he should be laughing so much. He doesn’t know what he’s done in his past life to deserve this connection to these strangers who’s stopped being strangers in a very short period of time. Or maybe this is to compensate his misfortune of being stranded. Maybe this is how the universe balances itself.

I’m - going in. I’ll be careful. They might have something I can use. Or maybe some clues to what happened two years ago.

We’ll be here.

He wanted to say “I’ll be here,” but he was worried that you’d realize he’s a big softie.

I already know that.

See, Blue? Be as sappy as you want.

You are the bane of my existence.

But also the light of your life?

I fear for my life. You two both look like maniacs when you grin like that.

Barry approaches the door with a smile. He tries the handle, and the door topples down without warning. He barely has the time to jump away.

Ah!

Barry?

Sorry. I’m okay. The door fell down but it didn’t hit anything.

He looks into the doorless frame. It’s pitch-dark inside. He’d use the light on his EVAC suit but it’s busted when he crashed on the planet. He made do with the lighter.

I’m in. The power is all off, which is good. It’s - normal. The bridge looks relatively intact. No signs of life so far.

He checks all the drawers. People don’t usually keep record on paper anymore, but someone might have jotted something down or left some of their personal belongings.

Found a notepad. It’s - I don’t really understand what this is. It’s a calculation of… time, I think?

He flips through the pages.

Something about a crystal that generates unidentified energy. Some scribbles on the possibility of time travel. Oooh a doodle of Dalek. And -

Barry frowns.

They took over her body. Weaved her stomach closed like she hadn’t said goodbye to me with a piece of metal through her torso. I let her get close. So hopeful, so foolish. Would have been dead if Alyssa hadn’t shot her. Twice. Had to aim for the head. Anything other than the complete destruction of the central nervous system is futile. We learned it the hard way.

He forces himself to calm down. Don’t jump to conclusions, he tells himself, even though his gut instinct tells him that this is real, that a terrified person had written this down with a trembling hand.

I love you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Don’t come. Please don’t come. Nuke the planet for all I care. They have to be destroyed.

The rest of the pages is marred by tears and blood. He can only make out a few words such as “sorry” and “love” and “Tess”. Barry has to close his eyes for a moment. It’s just too much. What’s implied in the words. The fear and desperation. He takes a deep breath and slowly let it out.

I’m… going to check the other rooms.

He shakes his head.

Seems like you might be right, Blue.

I usually am, even when I don’t want to be.

The layout of this Central is almost identical to his Central, so it’s easy for him to navigate the ship. He gets to the lab and carefully pulls at the handle. It doesn’t budge. He pulls harder. It’s either locked or stuck. He looks around for a tool and finds a screwdriver. This should help. Theoretically.

What do you usually do to break through a locked door?

Depends. Am I worried that someone might hear me?

No?

I shoot the lock.

I don’t have a gun. What do you do with a screwdriver?

I don’t think the usual lock picking technique works on spaceship doors.

Well, if I have worked out more it might.

Barry jams the screwdriver into the gap between the door and the doorframe and tries to pry the door open. He’s pretty sure the only thing he’s pulling is his muscles.

Okay. Change of tactics. Time to approach this like a proper science nerd.

And the plan is?

I’m making a spaghetti thermic lance. Or a cucumber and bacon one. Depends on what I can find.

You are making a what now?

Oh my god, where did you find this boy? How do I find one for myself?

He found me and he’s not my boy.

Yet.

Barry gets to the galley and starts his treasure hunting. He’s not sure if he should feel relieved or nervous that he hasn’t seen any dead body yet. If Wells was the only survivor, where did the rest of the crew go? Are they still… undead? Controlled by whatever was controlling them?

Oh good. There are uncooked spaghetti and aluminum foil.

That’s it?

You also need an oxygen tank and fire. Both I have.

You’ve done this before.

Well, yeah. There’s a Youtube video of this. It’s really cool. You should look it up since you can’t see me doing a live demonstration.

Oh here’s the video… Okay. How have I never tried this before?

How have _we_ never tried this before? Our grumpy friend will love this.

You are not doing this in the house. Or anywhere indoor. Or anywhere with anything inflammable.

So not in the yard?

Absolutely not.

Barry puts on his goggles, chuckling. He was perhaps a little drunk when he first did this. Iris and Eddie certainly were _very_ drunk. When Joe came to Iris and Eddie’s home, they were trying to put out the little fire they started on the lawn with the destroyed parts of a chair scattered around them. Joe looked like he was seriously considering grounding _all_ of them even though they were all adults. To be fair, they didn’t exactly act like one.

Alright, time to see if this works.

Barry attaches the aluminum-foil-wrapped spaghetti to the oxygen tank on the EVAC suit and lights it up with his lighter. The spaghetti bursts into blindingly bright flame. Barry cuts through the door, grinning widely.

One point to science!

NASA’s engineers will cry if they know you beat them with spaghetti.

Are you kidding me? They’ll love this. And it’s not as if I can use this to cut through the exterior of the ship. This is just an interior door.

Uh huh. Given enough time you probably will find some way to do that.

Barry ducks into the lab. The first thing that caught his attention are the rats in the glass box. It has been two years since Central crashed. The rats should be dead. They are also a lot bigger than regular ones.

He walks up to the box, frowning. The rats are huddling over something. He leans down to get a better look. The rats scatters and starts smashing against the glass walls.

His eyes widen. At the spot where the rats were huddling over are two rat carcasses, hollowed out from the stomachs. Eaten. Does that mean - Was Rob -

Barry shakes his head. He can’t think about this now. The rats are attacking the glass with alarming aggressiveness, and the glass is _cracking_.

Killer rats! What the hell is even happening?

Barry?

I have to take care of this. Shit.

He lights up the thermic lance.

He doesn’t want to do this. He can barely look at what he’s doing. But he can’t take the risk. The note said It has to be the complete destruction of central nervous system. The brains. He bites into his bottom lip, hard enough that he tastes blood, and keeps going.

The sweet burned smell makes his stomach churn.

I’m never eating meat again. I can’t believe - fuck!

A green spidery thing crawls out of one of the rats’ skull and jumps out at him suddenly. Barry squats it away in surprise and quickly burns it.

He tries to calm his pounding heart to no avail. If he looks closely at the rats he’s just killed, he can see something green oozing out of their charred heads.

That’s the reanimator. That’s the thing that controls living beings through their nervous system.

He thinks of the green slime he found this morning. He thinks of the proximity alarms.

He has to stop thinking about this.

He can’t stop thinking about this.

He almost got - infested. He almost become the monsters that killed Rob. He almost -

He left captain Singh there alone. He has to go get him.

Barry? Barry, are you alright?

Barry!

Barry, I swear to god -

Sorry, sorry. I was panicking. I’m still panicking. I have to - I have to go back for captain. He’s not safe.

You’re not hurt?

No, no. Not unless you count psychological trauma. It’s - The rats. There are - were some lab rats. They were controlled by some green slimy creatures in their - their skulls. I think they’re what turned those people into monsters two years ago. I think they’re what triggered the alarms last night. And they killed Rob -

Barry, breathe.

I am breathing.

Slowly.

Yeah, yeah. Goddamnit.

He lets out a long breath.

There might be something that can help you.

I know. I’ll look around.

He finds a solar-powered flashlight in a drawer and a pocket knife under a pile of rubbles. After a moment of hesitation he pulls out the hard drive of the computer and puts it into his backpack. He tries the medbay next, but there’s no medical supply left in the room. The only thing that might be of use is a bottle of alcohol.

As soon as he approaches the crew quarters he already wants to turn away.

The floor is stained with blood. Lots and lots of blood.

I’ve seen more blood these past two days than in my 23 years of life.

I nick myself when I shave all the time.

No you don’t.

No. Like you said, I have steady hands.

Barry smiles a little.

Thanks, though. It’s - I’m glad you were the one who got my signal.

I’m sure you’d be more glad if NASA got your signal.

Yeah no. They don’t really want to rescue us themselves, do they? They are worried what happened two years ago will happen again.

Not a lot of people know about the incident. They have to do something soon or everyone who knows you crashed will question what’s going on. They wouldn’t want to lose their own people’s trust.

Well, but NASA wouldn’t stay up for me or tell me cheesy jokes to cheer me up.

Barry gets inside. There’s even more blood on the wall, but no signs of the bodies. He really doesn’t like this.

Found a journal. Bloodied. This is looking more and more like a horror game.

It belongs to a R.R. Do you have a list of the crew?

Yes.

Your R.R. is Ronnie Raymond. Flight engineer of the old central. According to the surviving crew members, he sacrificed himself so that they could escape.

There’s a broken door switch on the floor. Did he try to trap the monsters in with him? Then where are the bodies? Why is there now an undamaged door switch in place?

Barry really, really doesn’t like this.

They don’t turn you into mindless zombies. They assume control of your brain. Very likely with your memory intact.

The rats. Did you notice anything different from their appearances?

Aside from being cannibalistic and unusually large because of said cannibalism? No.

Well, shit.

Eloquently put, Blue.

That’s when he hears it, the sound of dozens of feet tapping above the ceiling. He grabs the journal and gets the hell out of there.

I’m - so tired of walking. I’m not moving for three months if I make it back.

I’ll personally make sure you don’t have to move a finger if you make it back.

Is this you volunteering to be my servant?

Hmm. Doesn’t seem like a bad thing to be.

It takes Barry a couple more hours to get back to his Central. The sun is already setting by then and he is exhausted. When he sees someone kneeling next to the stasis pod, he just - acts. He tackles the man without thinking,

When his brain catches up he knows this is a bad idea. He isn’t made for physical fight like this. In seconds he finds himself pushed face down to the ground, his arms twisted behind his back.

Barry tries his best to get a better look at the man and -

“Holy shit. _Eddie_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I'm still alive and again very sorry.  
>  So, here's some plot (kind of), some backstory, and maybe a little too much banter because I can't stop myself. The story is also going into the more fantastical sci-fi territory like the game does. I don't think the transition is as smooth as I'd like it to be.  
> Also, [spaghetti thermic lance is a thing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKZtb6dTWSY) and it's awesome.


End file.
